GAME PREVIEW - ROCKFORD ICEHOGS AT IOWA WILD 11.14.15
Nov 14, 2015Rockford IceHogs (8-3-1-1, 18 points) at Iowa Wild (3-10-1-2, 9 points)
Iowa and Rockford meet for the fifth of 12 meetings this season. Each team will host six games this season, including the next meeting at Rockford on Dec. 11. Rockford has taken the first four meetings of the year, including a 5-3 decision in Des Moines on Nov. 13. The IceHogs have shutout the Wild twice this season, outscoring Iowa 14-4 in the season series. Overall, Rockford is 16-5-0-1 in 21 all-time meetings, including a 8-3-0-0 mark at Wells Fargo Arena. Iowa is 6-15-1-0 all-time and 3-8-0-0 at home.
Iowa is 2-6-1-2 at home this season, having been outscored 36-20 by the visitors. The Wild is 2-7-0-1 over its last ten games. The team is winless in the last six games (0-5-0-1) after the 5-2 loss to Rockford on Friday night. Iowa plays its second of four straight at Wells Fargo Arena from Nov. 13-21. Rockford is 5-1-0-0 on the road this season, outscoring the home teams 19-14. The IceHogs are 7-1-1-1 over the last ten games played.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
vs. Rockford 11/14 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Lake Erie 11/20 7:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
vs. Lake Erie 11/21 12:30 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Chicago 11/22 4:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at. Grand Rapids 11/25 6:00 PM CT KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
11.6.15: Add – C Grayson Downing assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
11.10.15: Delete – F Tanner Eberle assigned to Quad City (ECHL)
11.11.15: Add – F Kurtis Gabriel assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
11.13.15: Add – F Christoph Bertschy assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
11.13.15: Add – D Gustav Olofsson assigned by Minnesota (NHL)
11.10.15: Delete – F Brett Bulmer recalled by Minnesota (NHL)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Rockford IceHogs 5-2. Three different IceHogs each tallied multi-point nights, and forward Bryan Bickell scored the eventual game winner to push past the Wild. Rockford goalie Michael Leighton stopped 29 of 31 shots for his seventh victory of the season. Rockford also received goals from forwards Dennis Rasmussen, Pierre-Cedric Labrie, Jeremy Morin and defenseman Ville Pokka. Iowa goalie Leland Irving made 34 saves on 39 shots in the loss. Forwards Michael Keranen and Kurtis Gabriel each scored in the Iowa defeat.
Iowa Wild
Forward Michael Keranen leads Iowa in scoring with seven points, and in goals with three. Forward Christoph Bertschy is second on the team in points with six. Defensemen Mike Reilly is tied for third on the team in points with five. Reilly and Zach Palmquist leads all defensemen with two goals. Reilly, Fortunus, and Gustav Olofsson lead all defensemen in assists with three. Forwards Brady Brassart, Andrew Yogan, and Matt Carey round off the top scorers with three points each.
Goalie Jeremy Smith (1-6-1) is among the league leaders with 284 saves through eight games played. He has a 3.10 GAA and a .919 SV%. Leland Irving has made eight appearances, going 2-4-2 with a 2.57 GAA and a .920 SV%.
Iowa ranks 28th after going 6-for-65 (9.2%) on the power play. The team is 56-for-67 (83.6%) on the penalty kill – 14th in the AHL.
Notables:
· Three-Time Stanley Cup Champion Bryan Bickell was assigned to Rockford on Nov. 2.
Rockford IceHogs
The Rockford IceHogs sits tied for first place in the Central Division. They have won four of their last five games, and four straight on the road. The IceHogs are 2-0-0-0 in Iowa this season, defeating the Wild for the fourth time of the season on Friday night.
Defenseman Ville Pokka leads the active roster with nine points. Forwards Ryan Hartman and Jeremy Morin are second on the team in points with eight. Left winger Jeremy Morin rounds out the top scorers with two goals and three assists for five points. Center Mark McNeil rounds out the top scorers with two goals and four assists for six points.
The IceHogs have two active goalies on the roster. Michael Leighton (7-2-1-1) has made nice appearances, posting a 2.24 GAA and .924 SV%. Mark Visentin (1-1-0-1) defeated the Wild in October. Visentin holds a 3.25 GAA and .907 SV% through three games.
Rockford is 6-for-52 on the power play and sits 27th at 11.5%. The IceHogs penalty kill sits 19th at 80.0%, going 52-for-65.